Temp Fix Solution! Strut-Spring Noise Problem

by **Sp33d** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 4:10 am

here is the simple logistics of the plan.

1.you take a 1/8 inch sheet of rubber

2.you make a 2 inch diamter circle with a 3/4 inch inner diamter circle.

3.you take the piece of rubber that you have cut and you place it onto the rod of the strut like a condom until it fits the indenture.

pictures below.

here is one of my pictures.

and you basically take the piece of rubber and you put it over the long rod like a condom until it wraps around the indenture in picture one.

with the piece of rubber there, you will see that it does not rub against the bottom of the strut mount as the rubber acts like a cushion between the strut mount and the body of the strut itself.

hope some of this helps.

-mark[/img]

by **---CAMRAZY---** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:56 pm

BUMP,,,,, Any news?

by **lightear** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 7:16 am

Dahhhh. It ain't the strut mounts. I still have sound and it's even worse. Now i'm clunking everywhere. Going to try something else out again this morning.

Milt, I sent you an email, check mail please.

by **lightear** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 7:25 am

RIght two struts have different lengths on the top. I checked my stock struts they are identical. Why the difference and could this pose as a problem?

by **lightear** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 1:20 pm

Update: I got rid of the sound!

But the fix is unorthodoxed and maybe not a good idea. Let me explain and get you real pictures next week since i'll be redoing it with better materials.

So here is the real problem: Kenny was right. THe thick part of the strut leg was pretty much hitting not the strut mount but the other piece that goes under the bearing (forgot what it's called).

Question: Why isn't it doing on the driver's side? Simple. Look at the strut picture above. Notice the driver's side strut has a longer narrower leg at the top. However, the right passenger side is a lot shorter. Now, why did TRD do this? To be honest, i think there's a reason why we got em so cheap and open box....and I think this may be the reason why. But i'm just guessing.

So the fix: What i had to do was somehow get the thick part of the strut leg to move lower. And in order to do that i had to place three different washers. It's really hard to explain it to you guys right now so you will need to wait a week for me to get this done perfectly. Currently i'm running three rubber 5/8 washers. It completely stopped the noise and my car ride is perfectly fine.

In fact, it may be perfect itself. But I want to improve this a lil bit more since having the rubber kinda restricts the movement of the strutmount when it's suppose to move (i think because of turning). So to facilitate that, next week, i'm going to run two rubber stoppers, grease them and place a steel washer on top of that, then lubricate it.

Here is the idea:

So Two rubber washers(the black rectangles) goes around the groove part so that it provides a flat surface for the steel washer (the grey one). Grease them so that it helps the strut mount to move around.

Problem: Because this is done this way, the strut mount is no longer locked down to the notch/groove of the strut leg. Can this prose a major problem? Maybe. So that is why I'm labeling this as a temporary fix until we really figure out how we can push the strut leg further down so the wide part doesn't keep bumping around.

Right now, I'm driving around perfectly normal. NO sound at all whatsoever. But i'm in constant watch of the strut nut. I'm thinking as long as keep this fix, I'll have to keep torque wrenching the nut just to make sure it stays in place every two weeks.

Comments suggestions are welcomed. Please no flames about this being a bad idea or stupid. Just let me know if it's not safe and stuff. I'm just trying out things right now.

by **Sp33d** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 5:42 pm

very good idea, i havent thought about doing anything in terms of adding a washer toward the top part of the strut yet.

but did you try my idea? like i said, it helped me for a bit but its gone loose now.

-mark

by **trdkamuri51o** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 5:49 pm

2 weeks no clunking.. i had it for 1 day... for some odd reason after cornering hard.. im the exact opposite.. i have the driver strut that did it..

either way.. i have no clunking.. the rubber spacer at the bottom helped out a lot with the moving around..

contact trd and pray..

till i get some clunking im fairly sure this solves my problem ( i dont drive the car too hard anymore)

by **indiglosolara** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:17 am

CamrySE-soCALlara wrote:
indiglosolara wrote:
IMO.. Saying you can fix it and giving pointers to others is a diff story.
I have spoken to Mark numerous times about YOUR "problems" and given him many ideas as far as fixing this. Like I said before, sometimes it is time comsuming to write up suggestions or ideas or ways to help out when the majority of YOU guys do not know how to take off a tire, let alone a strut.

First, I wasn't reffering to Mark's Install. I was talking about someone else that is not on this forum. So don't assume. I have Spoken to few others on the forum and no solution was really provided that was helpful.

indiglosolara wrote:Some are not asking for you to do the work for free but some info would be nice. NOT just "yea i know how to fix it".

Well, I CHOOSE not to give info since my work is all done with LOVE.. ha ha!!

That was a joke^

But in reality I gave you guys opinions and options on how the TRD strut noise, (page 1)
AND
I even gave YOU ideas on how to solve it (page 2)
AND
Even a Worst Case Senario Alternative (page 5)

Of this thread:

http://www.solaraguy.org/viewtopic.php?t=27052

I think for YOU to call me out with the "yea I know how to fix it" which I have not written anywhere, is out of line. All I have written on that thread are that I helped An and it worked.

Great.. I must have missed that post in regards to the comments you have made, and my apologies to that. I know that sometimes posting suggest can be very time consuming we are on a car forum. We all try to help each other out. I always try my best to find the time to post any info I know or have. Just my way of doing things I guess.

indiglosolara wrote:For the ppl that can do the work ourselves its not like you offered much information that has been helpful (at least on this topic but your help on others topics that have been helpful we appreciate it).

indiglosolara wrote:All I keep seeing is I know the problem and resolution but with a cost.

YOU out of all people know "its all about money" and My time is valuable, sorry. Like I wrote already, Mark has been given resolutions and I wrote them in that thread but you are just choosing to read what you want to.

I know time is money. I will just leave this comment as that since everyone has a different definition for this subject.

indiglosolara wrote: Which I have no problem with but I am not going to pay YOU to find out. I will find another way and work with it.

I know you would not pay ME, but trust me I would not work on YOUR car. Since you would probably have a re-occurring problem and YOU being so Meticulous, haha, would probably be here every weekend.

First off, You are right, I wouldn't pay you to do the work. I like to do things right the first time. I don't need to have to come back to a shop to get the same work done over and over and over again.

Thats it for me on this post..

I am just looking for a solution for this problem as I am sure others are as well...

by **indiglosolara** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:19 am

lightear wrote:Update: I got rid of the sound!

But the fix is unorthodoxed and maybe not a good idea. Let me explain and get you real pictures next week since i'll be redoing it with better materials.

So here is the real problem: Kenny was right. THe thick part of the strut leg was pretty much hitting not the strut mount but the other piece that goes under the bearing (forgot what it's called).

Question: Why isn't it doing on the driver's side? Simple. Look at the strut picture above. Notice the driver's side strut has a longer narrower leg at the top. However, the right passenger side is a lot shorter. Now, why did TRD do this? To be honest, i think there's a reason why we got em so cheap and open box....and I think this may be the reason why. But i'm just guessing.

So the fix: What i had to do was somehow get the thick part of the strut leg to move lower. And in order to do that i had to place three different washers. It's really hard to explain it to you guys right now so you will need to wait a week for me to get this done perfectly. Currently i'm running three rubber 5/8 washers. It completely stopped the noise and my car ride is perfectly fine.

In fact, it may be perfect itself. But I want to improve this a lil bit more since having the rubber kinda restricts the movement of the strutmount when it's suppose to move (i think because of turning). So to facilitate that, next week, i'm going to run two rubber stoppers, grease them and place a steel washer on top of that, then lubricate it.

Here is the idea:

So Two rubber washers(the black rectangles) goes around the groove part so that it provides a flat surface for the steel washer (the grey one). Grease them so that it helps the strut mount to move around.

Problem: Because this is done this way, the strut mount is no longer locked down to the notch/groove of the strut leg. Can this prose a major problem? Maybe. So that is why I'm labeling this as a temporary fix until we really figure out how we can push the strut leg further down so the wide part doesn't keep bumping around.

Right now, I'm driving around perfectly normal. NO sound at all whatsoever. But i'm in constant watch of the strut nut. I'm thinking as long as keep this fix, I'll have to keep torque wrenching the nut just to make sure it stays in place every two weeks.

Comments suggestions are welcomed. Please no flames about this being a bad idea or stupid. Just let me know if it's not safe and stuff. I'm just trying out things right now.

Great Pics and Description.
I will be working on some things onthe struts the next couple of weekend and see If I can find a better way to do it. I have a few ideals but I'll how it goes.

Thanks for the pictures and update.
Kenny

by **---CAMRAZY---** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:37 pm

CamrySE-soCALlara wrote:

IMO.. Saying you can fix it and giving pointers to others is a diff story.
I have spoken to Mark numerous times about YOUR "problems" and given him many ideas as far as fixing this. Like I said before, sometimes it is time comsuming to write up suggestions or ideas or ways to help out when the majority of YOU guys do not know how to take off a tire, let alone a strut.

First, I wasn't reffering to Mark's Install. I was talking about someone else that is not on this forum. So don't assume. I have Spoken to few others on the forum and no solution was really provided that was helpful.

I dont know whom you are reffering to... But Mark aka Krawzyazn is who I have spoken to (and from what I know of he has not installed these). I have given him all my opinions and suggestions since he is the one that gave you your set for free and sold all of these sets to these guys. So do not ASSume.

Camryse-Socallara wrote:
Which I have no problem with but I am not going to pay YOU to find out. I will find another way and work with it.

I know you would not pay ME, but trust me I would not work on YOUR car. Since you would probably have a re-occurring problem and YOU being so Meticulous, haha, would probably be here every weekend.

First off, You are right, I wouldn't pay you to do the work. I like to do things right the first time. I don't need to have to come back to a shop to get the same work done over and over and over again....

Ha, and that is why you are in this boat "trying" to do this the right way over and over and over....

Call me if you disagree or need MY PROFICIENT advice. You have my number.

Good Luck

P.S. Kenny, it is little egos like yours that make it difficult for me to help you guys out. But trust me I am not dogging you.

by **lightear** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:59 pm

Hey guys, I hope we can just leave the differences at that. Milt, we welcome any more of your thoughts and suggestions if you have them. Kenny, let's just keep doing what we have been doing until we find that right solution. It may take forever, but we gain much more experiences on the way.

Sp33d mark or Kenny, have you guys tried the TRD struts with eibach springs? I wanna know if we get the same problem or issue. If you guys know someone who can lend us a set to try out that would be great. I'm thinking that since the eibachs are higher in the front, it may be a way to help alleviate the wider part of the strut leg to keep bumping. This is just a thought.

FOr now, I'm going to keep working and improving and testing the rubber and steel washer method to see which combinations of washer work the best.

Now...about contacting TRD. Has anyone done that before? Or should we ask what is up with the differences between the right and left strut legs soon?

by **Sp33d** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:04 pm

krawzyazn said he has contacted TRD but with no real honest reply.

i guess it wouldnt hurt if i called them tomorrow personally. ill give updates tomorrow afternoon.

-mark

by **indiglosolara** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:13 pm

Ha, and that is why you are in this boat "trying" to do this the right way over and over and over....

Call me if you disagree or need MY PROFICIENT advice. You have my number.

Good Luck

P.S. Kenny, it is little egos like yours that make it difficult for me to help you guys out. But trust me I am not dogging you.

HAhahaha.. whatever you say........
and ohh BTW.. He didn't give them to me the strut for free.. I paid Mark for these.... So again... dont ASSume as you put it...

But you know what... Just to end this. I will from now going forward will not reply to any post you make or PMs just cuz I really dont want to deal with you.

by **indiglosolara** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:18 pm

lightear wrote:Hey guys, I hope we can just leave the differences at that. Milt, we welcome any more of your thoughts and suggestions if you have them. Kenny, let's just keep doing what we have been doing until we find that right solution. It may take forever, but we gain much more experiences on the way.

Sp33d mark or Kenny, have you guys tried the TRD struts with eibach springs? I wanna know if we get the same problem or issue. If you guys know someone who can lend us a set to try out that would be great. I'm thinking that since the eibachs are higher in the front, it may be a way to help alleviate the wider part of the strut leg to keep bumping. This is just a thought.

FOr now, I'm going to keep working and improving and testing the rubber and steel washer method to see which combinations of washer work the best.

Now...about contacting TRD. Has anyone done that before? Or should we ask what is up with the differences between the right and left strut legs soon?

Sorry for the bickering back and forth. As I just stated above. I am just going to cut communication with him since I really don't want to deal with it. I personal am not putting these on my car. But on my friends car we are using Tein H-tech which has a high drop. Its only about 1" up front.

We are working on something so we'll see what happens. We tried the install 3 times in that one day and noticed that the strut just wasn't sitting in the notches each time. Thats how I came to the conclusion that the notch was slightly off.

Once I get some details on my friends car I will respond back.
Thanks

Kenny

by **lightear** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:27 pm

indiglosolara wrote:
Great Pics and Description.
I will be working on some things onthe struts the next couple of weekend and see If I can find a better way to do it. I have a few ideals but I'll how it goes.

Thanks for the pictures and update.
Kenny

All right Kenny, let us know what happens. Even if it doesn't work out tell us what you did so we don't reinvent the circle. Good Luck yo.

Temp Fix Solution! Strut-Spring Noise Problem

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